New York Mets Player Dominic Smith Gets Emotional Talking About Jacob Blake Protest
New York Mets player Dominic Smith got emotional speaking about his decision to kneel during the national anthem as nationwide protests over the police shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake continue. Just before the Mets were scheduled to face off against the Miami Marlins on (Aug. 26), Smith chose to kneel during the national anthem for the first time.
According to The Week, the Mets and Marlins jointly came up with a plan to take the field, remove their caps, stand in silence for 42 seconds in honor of Jackie Robinson, then walk off the field, leaving only a Black Lives Matter shirt on home plate, on Thursday evening.
"We wanted to do something special," Smith explained afterward. "We wanted to do something different."
"The words on the shirt speak for themselves, just having it in the center of everything, just knowing that both teams are unified, and that we agreed to do this," Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson, Miami's leadoff hitter, told reporters. "And it was the right thing to do."
Smith told SNY that he wanted to show his solidarity in support with the other pro athletes who have taken a stand following Blake being shot seven times by Kenosha, Wisconsin police officer Rusten Sheskey on Aug. 23.
Blake is reportedly paralyzed and handcuffed to his hospital bed, according to his father.
"I felt like tonight was the perfect night, especially with other teams canceling their games, especially looking at the NBA," Smith said during an official press conference."I just wanted to make a stand like that and show my support."
''I think the most difficult part is to see people still don't care," Smith continued. "For this to just continuously happen, it just shows the hate in people's heart. That just sucks, you know? Black men in America, it's not easy.''
BET has been covering every angle of the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and other social justice cases and the subsequent aftermath and protests. For our continuing coverage, click here.
